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Every two years, one of the biggest and most prestigious events in the culinary world takes place in Lyon, France.  This is the Bocuse d’Or, an international cooking event named after its founder, the great Chef Paul Bocuse.  This culinary competition is being participated by 24 chefs who came from 24 different countries, each cooking his own special recipe based on a prearranged set of parameters in the hopes of winning the grandest title in the culinary world.

But what is the Bocuse d’Or?  Where did the idea came from?  What is its history?  And more importantly, why was it created by Chef Paul Bocuse?

History of Bocuse d’Or

The idea for Bocuse d’Or was born when Lyon’s first Culinary Sector Exhibition and Trade Fair was launched in 1983.  It was organized and managed by the culinary professionals for the culinary professionals in the hopes of truly showcasing what the world’s gastronomic capital has to offer the world.  Of course, this earned the attention of the culinary world, both national and international, that it soon had more than 500 participants on the year it was first launched with more than 51,000 visitors.  The succeeding years earned the event increasing participants and visitors coming from all over the world.

Chef Bocuse, who was then the Honorary President of the said event, thought of holding a culinary competition to coincide with the trade fair.  He introduced his simple idea to Albert Romain, a good friend of his as well as the manager of the Lyon Exhibition at that time.

Excited about the culinary competition concept, they set the parameters for the said event, and what set them apart from the countless culinary competitions is that there will be a live performance of the participating chefs.  The participating chefs will be cooking in front of a live audience where they will be judged by a jury composed of some of the biggest and most popular names in the international culinary scene.  The judgment will be based on only on how the recipe tasted but also on the presentation of the dish as well as the cooking techniques used during the competition.

January 1987 marked the launch of the very first Bocuse d’Or.

Setting Up Bocuse d’Or

The Bocuse d’Or is a big event indeed, and it was through Chef Bocuse’ vast international network and close chef friends in the culinary world that got things started.

Each country will have to send one chef representative who will stand for his or her respective country.  Choosing the representative will be made via a national selection, and the chef who is in charge of the said national election will have to escort the chosen representative to Lyon.  In Lyon, the chef representative will battle it out with other candidates in front of a live jury, which is composed of international names, one of which was Chef Joel Robuchon.

The event caught the attention of the international culinary world, and 20 countries sent 20 chefs to the first Bocuse d’Or.  It drew a lot of public attention as well as media attention, and in fact, more than 450 international journalists were present to capture everything that went on during the said event.

There were two sessions during the first day, January 26, 1987, wherein 10 candidates per session competed with each other during a four-hour grueling period of cooking the best dish out of the given main ingredient (salmon) and based on a set of parameters (four varieties of garnishing for eight people).  After the two sessions of 10 contestants each, the international jury then selected 10 contestants who will go on to the final round.  The selection of the final 10 candidates was based on a 40-point system wherein 20 points were given for taste, 10 points were given for presentation, and 10 points were given for originality.

The final day, January 27, 1987, the 10 final candidates had to cook the best dish out of the given main ingredient (fatted chicken) and based on the same parameters as above (four varieties of garnishing for eight people) in four hours’ time.  The winner won a cash prize as well as a trophy.

It can be said that the very first Bocuse d’Or was an instant success that the next succeeding years drew more participants and guests coming from the international culinary world.

The Purpose of Bocuse d’Or

The main purpose of the Bocuse d’Or is to give young and aspiring chefs the unique chance of making a big name for themselves by not only demonstrating their culinary skills but also showing how they work under pressure.  Of course, there is also the prestige that is going to the winning chef and his respective country.

Aside from this, the event also aims to promote the culinary world and profession as well.  This gives those with the same interests a venue where they can share culinary skills and knowledge as well as build network and partnerships with people in the same industry.

The Bocuse d’Or 2011

You can expect a lot more action this year’s Bocuse d’Or.  It will be attended by 24 countries, 12 and 4 of which came from the Bocuse d’Or Europe and Bocuse d’Or Asia respectively.  There will be two wildcard countries and three individual participations coming from three different countries.  Lastly, there will be three countries coming from Latin America.

The Bocuse d’Or international competition will coincide with the start of the SIRHA or International Hotel and Catering Exhibition or the Salon International de la Restauration, de l’Hôtellerie et de l’Alimentation on January 22, 2011 and will end on January 26, 2011.  However, the culinary competition proper will take place during the last two days of the SIRHA, which is January 25 and 26, 2011, starting from nine in the morning and ending at five in the afternoon.  The venue is at the Espace des Chefs – Paul Bocuse Hall.

There will also be a Bocuse d’Or gala dinner prepared by the best women chefs in the world such as Annie Feolde and Anne-Sophie Pic as well as Carme Ruscalleda and Nadia Santini.  Lea Linster as well as Luiza Valazza completes the all-female team preparing and cooking for the said gala dinner.

Some of the popular guests of the Bocuse d’Or 2011 include Chefs Alain Ducasse and Guy Savoy as well as Chefs Peter Goossens and Joel Robuchon.  Chefs Pierre Gagnaire and Daniel Bouloud as well as Chefs Thomas Keller and Frederic Anton are also attending the said event.  These are just some of the big names who will be there.

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Of course, if there is the Bocuse d’Or for chefs, there should also be a big culinary competition for pastry chefs.  And there is just that, the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie or the World Pastry Cup.  As the name implies, this is a culinary competition where some of the best pastry chefs in different countries around the globe gather together to show off and demonstrate their culinary skills.

History of Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie

The Bocuse d’Or was launched in 1987, and due to its success, French Pastry Chef Gabriel Paillasson thought of launching his own version of the said event.  Only this time, the event would be wholly devoted to the art of pastry making.

In January 1989, exactly two years after Bocuse d’Or was first introduced to the culinary world, Chef Paillasson launched Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie.  There were 12 countries that participated in the first pastry competition, and these countries are all members of the UIPCG or the Union Internationale de la Pâtisserie, Cofinsserie et Glacerie, a world-renowned and very prestigious confectionery association.

The 12 countries were asked to choose their own representative president, and these 12 representative presidents coming from the different participating countries were to become the international jury.  The international jury will then judge and select the winning professional pasty team.  As for the professional pastry team, each team will be composed of three professionals.  There should be a pastry chef, of course, and a chocolate chef (chocolatier), and lastly, there should also be an ice specialist or an ice sculptor specialist.  To get into the team, the member has to have at least a minimum of seven years of professional experience.

Now, if the Bocuse d’Or gives each chef four hours to prepare and cook a dish with four varieties of garnishing for eight people, the professional pastry team will be given ten hours to prepare one chocolate dessert , six different varieties of chocolate bonbon (two each chocolate bonbon variety), and one type of frozen dessert for eight people.  They should be attractively plated and beautifully presented to the live jury.

Just like the Bocuse d’Or, the competition will be a live performance, and the professional pastry team will have to create the mouth-watering desserts in front of the jury and the rest of the audience.  The criteria to win are based on the technical as well as artistic skills of the team, also taking into consideration the performance skills of the team.

The first Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie was also a big success, and it was also well-attended by the big names in the culinary world as well as by the media and thousands of guests and visitors.  Ever since the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie was first launched, the regulations have been refined to what it is today.

The Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie also takes place after every two years, and each time that the said events occur, more and more people are flocking to Lyon to witness masters at their finest.  Right now, the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie is known as the premier culinary competition when it comes to pastry and confectionery cooking as well as ice cream making.

The Purpose of Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie

Similar to the Bocuse d’Or, the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie purpose is to promote the art of pastry cooking.  It also aims to showcase the talents of their chefs when it comes to creating mouth-watering and very delicious desserts and pastries.  Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie gives the professional team a venue to demonstrate their cooking skills and creativity, and those teams who won the competition are given a boost in their professional careers as they become world-renowned for their exceptional skills and creativity.

Lastly, the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie also aims to bring together people of like minds and interests.  Through the said event, these individuals are given a venue to share knowledge, teach skills, build networks, cultivate partnerships and relationships, and lastly, promote the love for pastry cooking.

The Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie 2011

Because the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie has been a very big success, more and more countries are fighting for the chance to get their professional teams into the competition.  Right now, there are 19 countries that will be participating in the competition.  Four countries came from the Open de France de Desserts; four countries are from the Asian Pastry Cup, and another four countries came from the Copa Maya.  Aside from these 12 countries, five countries will also come from the top seven countries of the past three Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie competition and two wildcard countries.

The Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie or the World Pastry Cup will also coincide with the SIRHA or the Salon International de la Restauration, de l’Hôtellerie et de l’Alimentation (International Hotel and Catering Exhibition) on January 22 to January 26, 2011 in Lyon.  It will be held two days before the Bocuse d’Or on January 23 and 24, 2011, and the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie will also take place at the Espace des Chefs.  The competing teams will be divided between two days, and the competition will promptly start at 6:30 in the morning and end at 5:00 pm in the afternoon.

There will be a gala dinner held to celebrate the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, and they will be prepared by some of the best chefs in the world.

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